1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a windshield deicer device that heats the exterior surface of the window glass of an automotive vehicle comprising an electric resistance heating wire adjacent to the exterior surface; an adhesive tape for holding the wire in place; a curable sealant placed over said adhesive tape for providing a water-tight encapsulation of the tape and the wire upon the curing of said sealant. In addition, the adhesive tape may contain holes, so that the sealant penetrates therethrough and forms a mechanical interlock between the tape and the windshield, after the sealant is cured.
2. The Prior Art
A basic safety problem has evolved for vehicles that are left out in snow storms or that are driven in snow storms. The accumulated snow and ice collects on the surface of the windshield prior to the operation of the vehicle and, in many cases, makes it impractical for the windshield wiper to clear the windshield. In fact, it often causes the windshield wiper linkage to be destroyed because of the interference of the accumulated snow on the windshield when the windshield wipers are activated.
To compound matters, as a vehicle is driving during a snow storm, the windshield wiper, via its movement, collects and transfers the accumulated snow to the lower part of the windshield. This excessive build-up of snow interferes with the effective operation of the windshield wipers of the vehicle.
These problems are particularly acute and troublesome for vehicle drivers such as volunteer firemen, snow plow drivers, aircraft pilots, ship captains, and the like, as it interferes with their ability to do their jobs efficiently and safely. Simply put, the volunteer fireman does not have the time to clear his windshield of snow when called to drive his vehicle to a building that is on fire. Similarly, an aircraft pilot does not have the time to clean his windshield off when his air base is being attacked in a snow storm. Also, a snow plow driver does not have the time to stop his vehicle every two minutes to walk outside his snow plow to remove accumulated show from his windshield, side glass, back glass or roof panel.
It has been found that applying electrically conductive material onto the outside of an automobile windshield has many disadvantages. First, it interferes with driver vision. Second, it is exposed to contaminants such as road salt, acid rain, ultra-violet light, which in turn creates greater resistance to the electricity. Third, it is a highly expensive process. Fourth, it is a highly problematic art and is not practical for use over long extended time frames, very often requiring the complete replacement of the entire automotive windshield. Fifth, it cannot effectively be applied after a vehicle leaves a vehicle assembly line. Sixth, it cannot effectively be replaced. In the prior art, any electric heating wires are located between the inner and outer layers of the glass for a laminated windshield or are located on the interior surface of a single layer of tempered or hardened glass found in a vehicle window.